Fruits and Indigenous Vegetables Drive Modest Growth, as Exports Drop to KSh 136.6 Billion
Kenya’s horticulture sector — a linchpin of the agricultural economy and one of the country’s largest foreign exchange earners — experienced a year of mixed performance in 2024, according to the National Agriculture Production Report 2025 by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA).
Despite challenging global and local conditions, the sector demonstrated resilience with increased area under cultivation and notable growth in fruits and indigenous vegetables, even as total production and export values declined.
Overview: Area Up, Value Down
The total area under horticultural crops expanded by 4.2%, from 457,313 hectares in 2023 to 476,672 hectares in 2024, signaling ongoing farmer confidence and investment. However, production declined slightly by 1.4% to 7.77 million tonnes, while the total value dropped 3.1% to KSh 279.5 billion.
According to the report, this decline was primarily due to reduced yields and lower export earnings from flowers and exotic vegetables, both major foreign exchange contributors.
Flowers Face Decline Amid Global Market Pressures
Kenya’s cut flower industry — famed worldwide and employing thousands around Lake Naivasha — recorded a contraction across all indicators.
- Area under flowers: down 12.4% to 2,475 hectares
- Production: down 11.9% to 113,862 tonnes
- Value: down 1.9% to KSh 80.1 billion
The report attributes the dip to higher production costs, changing EU regulations, and reduced air freight capacity, which affected deliveries to key destinations such as the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and France.
However, roses continued to dominate, representing the bulk of flower production. AFA notes that 21 counties grow flowers, with major producers including Nakuru, Laikipia, Kajiado, Nyandarua, Kiambu, and Meru.
Fruits Shine as Growth Leaders
In contrast, the fruit sub-sector expanded in both acreage and value, emerging as the standout performer in 2024.
- Area under fruits: up 6.8% to 249,610 hectares
- Production: up 6.0% to 4.39 million tonnes
- Value: up 1.9% to KSh 102.2 billion
Bananas and avocados continued to anchor Kenya’s fruit production. Avocado output alone increased by 6.8%, driven by sustained export demand in Europe, the Middle East, and new markets such as Barbados, which joined Kenya’s top five destinations. Tangerine production also saw a 27.4% jump, reflecting diversification in citrus farming.
Vegetables: Indigenous Varieties Defy the Decline
The vegetable sub-sector, traditionally the largest horticultural category by area, experienced a dip overall:
- Production: down 10.3% from 3.38 million tonnes in 2023 to 3.04 million tonnes
- Value: down 8.6% to KSh 84.8 billion
Yet within this, African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) offered a bright spot.
- AIV production rose by 13.7% to 309,758 tonnes
- Area under AIVs grew by 22.5% to 46,589 hectares
These figures underscore growing consumer preference for nutrient-dense, climate-resilient traditional crops such as amaranth, cowpea leaves, spider plant, and African nightshade. Counties like Kakamega, Kisii, and Nakuru reported significant increases.
Meanwhile, exotic vegetables like French beans, snow peas, and garden peas declined sharply due to stricter EU pesticide residue regulations and weather-related yield challenges.
Exports: A Dip, but Fruits Gain Share
Horticultural exports — long a vital source of Kenya’s foreign exchange — fell by 12.9%, from KSh 156.7 billion in 2023 to KSh 136.6 billion in 2024. Export volumes also decreased by 14.1%, dropping from 468,438 tonnes to 402,195 tonnes.
Breakdown by category (2024):
- Flowers: KSh 72.1 billion (52.8% of total export value)
- Fruits: KSh 41.0 billion (30.1% of total export value, up from 20.7% in 2023)
- Vegetables: KSh 23.4 billion
Top export markets remained the Netherlands (35.2%), United Kingdom (15.5%), United Arab Emirates (7.9%), France (7.4%), and Barbados, which entered Kenya’s horticultural export map for the first time in 2024.
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs): Niche Growth Continues
Kenya’s production of herbs and spices — such as rosemary, basil, lemongrass, and ginger — increased slightly, with total value standing at KSh 12.3 billion in 2024. The expansion of MAPs cultivation in counties like Meru and Machakos was driven by rising demand from both health-conscious consumers and export processors targeting the Middle East.
Outlook: Promise Amid Pressure
The horticulture sector continues to anchor Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), generating employment for over 6 million people and accounting for more than 17% of agricultural GDP.
While the 2024 data reveals pressure points from market disruptions, input costs, and climate variability, trends in fruits, indigenous vegetables, and herbal crops point to opportunities for inclusive growth and export diversification.
Experts at AFA and AGRA recommend targeted interventions in cold chain logistics, export certification, and sustainable input use to restore momentum in 2025 and beyond.